SB 






9 



AN ACCOUNT OF 



Various Experiments 

\ 
FOR THE PKODUCTION OF NEW AND DESIRABLE 

GRAPES, 



AND A 1>KS( KU'TION OV 



FOETT VARIETIES 



OBTAIi.EU BV 



HYERIDIZATION. 



I!Y 



OEOKGE HASKELL. 



irsWJCll, MASS.: 




Class 

Book_ 



AN ACCOUNT OF 



Various Experiments 



FOE THE PRODUCTION OF NEW AND DESIRABLE 



GRAPES, 



AND A DESCRIPTION OF 



FOETT VAEIETIES 



OBTAINED BT 



HYBllIDIZATION. 



BY 

GEORGE HASKELL. 



IPSWICH, MASS.: 

1877. 



,''' 
^^\-' 



EXPERIMENTS. 



In offering these vines for sale, it may be interesting to grape- 
growers lo know the various methods and labors by w^hich I have 
sought to obtain new varieties : it may also be a caution and 
great lielp to others engaged in similar efforts, to know of the 
many failures and meagre success of such labors. 

The aim of all my efforts has been to obtain vines which would 
bear our winters, be free from mildew and other disease in summer, 
and bear good fruit which would ripen in this section. These ef- 
forts commenced many years ago, under these circumstances : — On 
reading the Treatise of Mr. Prince on the Vine, soon after it ap- 
peared, in 1830, I got interested in the subject and determined I 
would have a vineyard. In the ardor and greenness of youth, I 
bought two hundred Isabella vines of J. B. Kussell, who then kept 
an agricultural store in Boston, and two thousand cuttings of the 
same kind of Mr. Samuel Pond, of Cambridge. These were plant- 
ed and tended with care and expectation for several years, but I 
never obtained a drop of wine or a peck of ripe fruit from the 
whole of them. 

Finding the Isabella would not succeed in our climate, I began 
the search for a good native, in the swamps and woods of this 
region. Whenever I heard of a wild vine bearing fruit called good, 
I invariably visited it, and I have travelled many miles, and for 
several years, through the swamps, woods, and morasses of this 
section, in quest of a graj^e worth cultivating. Some, of courL-c, 
were better than others, and all that were better or earlier than the 
general run, were removed to my own grounds; but they did not 
improve, or were hardly as good, when grown in the warm, dry 
soil of a garden. 

I then began to plant the seeds of these best natives, and contin- 
ued to do so for three generations of vines, without obtaining, out 
of many thousands thus raised, a single fruit that I regarded worth 
propagating, and only a few of them have been preserved ; but the 
earliest and best of native vines, thus obtained, have been used in 
crossing with the foreign. 

Simultaneously with these efforts, I raised many hundred vines 
from seeds of different foreign grapes. These seeds Avere planted 



under glass, and the vines remained in the house two years, when 
they were removed to the open air. iSTone of them jDroved healthy 
or would bear our winters. Some of them lived to bear fruit for a 
year or two, but they all died in a few years, though well covered 
ever}' winter. 

I then sought to obtain better fruit by grafting the native upon 
the foreign, and planting the seed of the native, thus grown upon 
the foreign root; but I could not discover any improvement in Iho 
fruit of the seedlings grown from such seed. I also sought to ob- 
tain hardihood of vine, by grafting the foreign upon Ihe native 
and planting the seed of the foreign thus grown upon the native 
root; but the vines of such seedlings proved no hardier than seed- 
lings from a foreign, ungrafted vine. In neither case did the stock 
appear to have any influence upon the characler or fruit of the 
vines grown from seed of the graft, nor were such vines dilTerent 
from seedlings of the same species, when grown from seed of un- 
grafted vines. 

I then tried to modify the fruit of seedlings through the agency 
of the foliage, and as soon as the fruit was formed on each species 
I inarched the new shoot of the other species into the shoot bear- 
ing the cluster just above the fruit. When the union of the shoots 
was complete, in about two weeks, I cut out the shoot projDer to the 
fruit at the point of union and took off all the foliage on that shoot 
below the cluster: thus leaving the fruit with no foliage but that of 
the other species to nourish and mature it. "White grapes were 
thus grown under the foliage of black grapes, and black under the 
foliage of white, and each retained its proper color, though the tex- 
ture and quality of the fruit seemed to be changed by the alien fo- 
liage. The foliage of the foreign was thus placed over the fruit of 
the native, and the foliage of the native over the fruit of the foreign. 

The seeds of fruits thus grown, were planted for several years, 
but the result was a great disappointment. I did not find such a 
decided effect as I expected. The vines from the seed of foreign 
fruit, thus grown, were not so hardy or healthy as I desired, nor 
was the fruit of native seedlings, thus grown, good enough to be 
propagated. Perhaps the latter, had they been tried a few years 
longer, might have improved, and farther south the former might 
have grown successfully; but, unfortunately, none have been pre- 
served for such further trial. 

My next method of seeking for the desired fruit Avas, by inarch- 
ing the new shoot of the foreign upon the native, and of the native 
upon the foreign, as soon as the fruit was formed, both below and 



above the section of the cane 'oearing the cluster; and as soon as the 
union was complete, the cane bearing the cluster was severed from 
its own root and deprived of all its leaves; thus having the fruit of 
each species, with about three iuc-hes of its cane, grown and ma- 
tured upon the root and under the foliage of the other species. I 
hoped some of the seed, thus grown, would produce vines possess- 
ing the desired qualities. (A full and more particular account of 
thi.<« process was published in the Country Gentleman, in Septem- 
ber, 18C3.) After laboring for j-ears in this method, the vines thus 
obtained were abandoned as worthless. I now see the folly of ni}'- 
impatience in rooting them up after trying their fruit for only one 
or two years. Indeed, I should now regard vines, thus obtained, 
as of the highest interest, affording, as they would, some evidence 
of the influence of an alien root and leaf upon the offspring of seed 
thus matured. A few of the vines, thus obtained, were grafted 
near the ground, and I am trying to start shoots from the roots, to 
restore the original vine to view. 

Thus battled again, in my efforts to obtain the desired fruit, I 
began to cross-fertilize the flowers, foreign with the native and the 
native with the foreign, using many varieties of each species, of 
different sizes, colors and flavors in the fruit, and having differences 
in the form and other characteristics of foliage 

This method has been pursued for fifteen years, and more than 
eighty different crosses have been effected, counting the second 
crosses, between the half-bloods, and of the half-blood back upon 
the original species. During the last ten years these crosses have 
not been made at random, but vines possessing some desired qual- 
ities, have been selected for union with other vines possessing other 
desired qualities, in the hope of uniting all such qualities in one 
fruit and vine. More than a thousand seedlings have been thus 
produced; several of them have borne fruit for eight or ten years, 
many of them for three to five )'ears, and a few have never fruited, 
though not, organically, infertile. A docket has been kept of all 
these crosses, and of each vine thus produced, in which is noted its 
parentage, and habits of vine and qualities of fruit, during its 
whole existence. 

The varieties now offered were thus obtained, registered and 
tried, and their qualities, as thus ascertained in this unfavorable 
part of the country, are correctly stated. 

In selecting the fruit that appeared worthy of propagation, I 
have not preserved the vine when the fruit retained too much of the 
characteristics of the native parent. If it was too sour, too hard in 



pulp, too small or too foxy, or if the cluster was small, or much 
broken, or irregular in form, or if the fruit shook easil}- from the 
stem when ripe, I have thrown the vine away. Since then, I have 
sceiyso much improvement in the fruit and cluster, after the vine 
had s©m^m.iit for a few years, that I regret my conduct in this re- 
fapect very much. I think some of those destroyed wQuld have out- 
grown the defects for Avhich I condemned them, and might have 
jjroved to be some of the best. 

In selecting them for hardihood, I have left them for the winter 
to kill and weed out those constitutionally too tender to survive it; 
as I have never laid them down or covered them, even in this se- 
vere climate. In selecting them for healthiness, I have di-carded 
and thrown out all those generally affected with mildew, and those 
occasionally affected with it so much as to prevent the ripening of 
the fruit. Some of the best fruits, however, have been retained, 
though the vine is occasional!}', and to some extent, subject to its 
attack, as they may be entirely free from it in a dryer atmosphere, 
or farther from the sea-coast. In selecting them for early maturity, 
I have not condemned them altogether, because they failed occa- 
sionally to ripen here, if they possessed other required merits. Sev- 
eral such have been ripened under glass in a cold-house, and it then 
ajipeared that, Avith a sununer a few weeks longer, or more steadily 
warm than ours, they were surpassed by few of the foreign grapes 
in size, beauty or flavor ; notably was this true of Three, Three- 
Twenty-Five, Three-Eighty-Seven, and Four-Twenty. 

I have thus briefly stated the different methods by which I have 
tried to obtain the desired grape, and some of the repeated and di- 
versified experiments made for that purpose. These experiments 
have been carried on more than forty years — not a year having 
passed during that long period, in which I have not obtained and 
planted the seeds of native and foreign fruit, modified, lately, I had 
hoped, by the artificial use of nature's processes. This effort has 
not been omitted even- when I was busy with professional cares 
and occasionally charged Avith official duties, nor on account of any 
trouble or expense to which 1 might thereby be subjected. The 
result has been very interesting, and partially successful ; but how 
far successful, can only be determined by a full and thorough trial 
in other sections of the country, better adapted than this to the 
cultivation of this valuable fruit. 

I am sorry the success has not been more obvious and decided ; 
but, thinking it will be a long time before any other individual will 
be so unwise as to spend his money, time and thought in such ef- 



forts, or will do so with a better chance of success, I have conclu- 
ded to offer to the public the fruits of these labors, such as they are- 
1 had hoped to obtain a reimbursement of my money-outlay in this 
matter, but sec no chance for even that. The nurserymen will not 
buy the stock of any of them, or even take them to propagate, un- 
til there is a call for them — and there will not be a call for them 
until they are generalh' known ; and if distributed so as to be 
generally known, the originator is minus the whole undertaking. 
Whether I obtain any pecuniary recompense for the products of 
these labors, may be a question of justice; but it is not by any 
means a matter of necessity with me. I hope the fruits obtained 
will be a benefit to the public, and that the future will show them 
to be of great value to the country, in both an economic and com- 
mercial aspect. 

I shall exercise the right of an author in giving them names, and 
shall preserve the numerical names now affixed to them. Such 
names are perfctly distinctive, are easily remembered, and can be 
briefly expressed in figures upon a plan, tag or order. 

It may be objected that I am sending out too many varieties, — 
that it will confuse and perplex purchasei's. But this distribution 
of varieties is only tentative; not that it can be desirable to propa- 
gate and multiply largely so many varieties in any locality. These 
have been selected, after years of trial from more than a thousand 
seedlings, of different crosses, and every one was selected because 
it possessed, when grown here, more than one desirable quality of 
vine or fruit. How they will thrive in other localities can only be 
known by trial ; and it is to obtain such trial, and the selection of 
the best for each section that so many are offered. I also desire to 
have so many of these seedlings taken for trial in other sections, 
because I do not believe wo shall ever obtain a variety that will be 
the best and most valuable in all sections. No such single variety 
is known in Europe, where the differences in soil and climate are 
less than in this country, and there is no reason to expect such 
a variety here. Another advantage of this distribution of many 
kinds will be, that seedlings of these hybrids will be obtained in 
other sections from a greater variety, in parentage, and with a bet- 
ter chance of finding among them vines adapted to those sections, 
and, quite likely, bearing better fruits than those yielding the seed. 

Again : — no one variety will suit all palates best, either as fruit 
or for wine. In submitting these fruits to the most experienced 
and competent judges of grapes, I have been surprised at their di- 
versity of taste and choice. They would all agree, generally, upon 



8 

the best ten or twenty ; but if asked to designate the best two, or 
three, or five, they would differ widely, each having a preference 
for the flavor, texture, or comparative sweetness of a particular and 
different grape. Of course, to meet these different tastes, it is well 
to have a number of variclics of differing qualities propagated and 
tried. It might be supposed, from the similarity in many of the 
descriptions given, that the fruits were much alike. But it will be 
found that those much ahkc inform, color and other characteristics 
which can be stated in language, are yet quite different in flavor, 
taste and relish. 

Another reason for the trial of so many kinds, is the hope that 
some of them, if planted in a soil suited to their native parent, will 
be safe from the attack of the Phylloxera. It Avill be observed, that 
most of the vines described, are from crosses with what is popular- 
ly called the Fox grape — but accurately it is the Biparia — a species 
which is found generally, in a wild state, only in swamps and on 
the banks of streams. The Vulpina and Labrusca are only other 
names for varieties of the same species, and they do not accurately 
describe any species, as the pungency on the lips and the fox odor, 
are not uniformly found in the fruit of either of them. 

Recent experiments in France have shown that the most effectual 
eradication of the Phylloxera was by flooding the ground, and thus 
drowning the insects. As the Biparia of this country flourishes, 
and really does best in wet bogs and meadows, even when the roots 
are immersed in water all winter and the soil is saturated all sum- 
mer, may we not expect that this trait Avill prevail in some of 
these hybrids and make them almost proof against the Phylloxera, 
especially if planted in such wet soils ? I shall place them in such 
soils and localities, and hope others will do so too, that the experi- 
ment may be fairly tried. 

The belief that these grapes are worthy of distribution and trial, 
is strengthened by the judgment of many competent persons to 
whom I have sent the fruit. These opinions of others, however, 
have been formed and expressed, from an inspection and trial of 
the fruit only, and without any knowledge of, or I'eference to, the 
qualities of the vine, except, perhaps, from a general knowledge 
such persons may have of the ungenial part of the couirtry in which 
the vines have been raised and fruited. 

The following are the opinions of some of the gentlemen to 
whom the fruit has been sent. 

In October, 1869, I sent several varieties to Marshall P. Wilder, 
which he, in company Avith Robert Manning, examined and made 
notes of as follows : — 



9 

295. " Sweet to the skin; pulp rather tender, vinous, sprightly; 
color duU.amber reddish; a considerable improvement on the native." 

300. " Same color, similar constituents, but leaving a rough, 
astringent taste at the skin." 

309. " Like 300, but acidity in place of roughness. " 

325. " Smaller bunch and berry, sweeter, rather hard pulp, 
sweet and rich." 

3S7. " Larger bunch; color dark and dingy; hard pulp; sprightly 
and good; winy." 

12G. " Dark amber; the ripest ones chestnut color; appears to 
have passed its maturity." 

3:34. " Sweet and tolerably rich, but pretty foxy, leaving consid- 
erable astringency in the mouth." 

339. " Apparently later, not so Avell colored, but having a Cataw- 
ba smack." 

346. " Berry largest and most foxy of all ; chestnut color ; a 
slight remove from the native." 

The next year, at the request of Mr. J. B. Garber, of Columbia, 
Pa., I sent eighteen varieties to him, which, in company with three 
gentlemen of that neighborhood, he examined, and they sent me 
a detailed report of their opinion of them. I suppose they fur- 
nished the following account of them, which I find in the " Lan- 
caster Farmer," November, 1870: — 

" Then we have received a box containing eighteen varieties, all 
hybrids, from Mr. G. Haskell, of Massachusetts. These are all 
new, none of them yet out of the hands of the originator. Some 
of them were somewhat damaged by being delayed on the way. 
We, in company with several other grapists, on testing and tasting 
these new grapes, fully agreed that they were very promising. 
Should these varieties, or some of them at least, improve by being 
grown in our latitude, or still further south, as the Concord is known 
to have improved, then these new ones are certainly Avorth looking 
after. Mr. Haskell is a persevering experimenter, having already 
in 1809 fruited between six and seven hundred seedlings, of which 
he has selected twenty of the best for further trial, and has over 
two hundred fruiting for the first time this last season. These 
numy varieties are the product of more than thirty crosses, and he 
is still continuing his experiments. Of course, among so many 
there will be a large portion that will probably be no improvement 
on older sorts ; yet he can hardly fail of producing some very su- 
perior varieties." 

Three years later, in 1873, 1 sent nine varieties to the editors of 
the " Country Gentleman," and their opinion of them was stated 
in that paper for October 23d, as follows :— 

" The grapes came in fair order— a little the worse for time and 
transportation, but so that we were able to judge well of their qual- 
ity. The collection cousists of nine seedlings, but as we are not 



10 

told from Trhat varieties they are crossed, we are unable to judge 
how successful the experiments have been by way of improvement 
on the parents. On comparing the flavor AviLh the Concord, we 
tind at least two-thirds of better flavor, with a strong tendency to- 
wards sweetness. Nos. 3G, 74, 325, 371 and 387 are quite sweet, 
and of very fair quality, so far as we can judge from so imperfect a 
trial. The others are not so good, and one or two rather poor. Of 
the growth, hardiness or productiveness of the vines, we have no 
means of knowing. We have thus given our opinion, as these 
grapes appear to us — an opinion liable of course to revision on a 
better opportunity for judging." 

In 1874, I sent six varieties to the editors of " Colman's Eural 
World," in St. Louis, and in that publication for November 14, 
1874, the following statement is made in regard to them : — 

" The grapes came to hand in good condition, showing that our 
correspondent knows how to pack such things. Ko. 371, bunch 
small, berry medium, round, dark red ; thin skin, small seeds, but 
plenty of them ; ])ulp soft, sweet and pleasant. 

No. 325, Large bunch, shouldered ; berry oval, a little above me- 
dium in size ; thin skin, melting pulp ; very rich and sweet. 

No. 387, Bunch medium ; berry do, slightly oval; thin skin, soft 
pulp, sweet, spicy and rich in flavor ; pale red in color. 

No. 36, Bunch and berry medium ; round, dark red ; first-rate. 

No. 295, Bunch medium ; berry a little above round; pale green- 
ish red ; skin thin; pulp dissolving, sweet and pleasant; very good, 
we would call it. 

No. 74, Bunch medium ; berry large, oval, black, with a fine 
bloom upon it after travelling fifteen hundred miles ; skin thin ; 
])ulp soft and melting, sweet and aromatic; most valuable of the 
lot, in our opinion. There is a touch of Black Hamburg in this last 
that pleased ifsi very much. If these grapes improve Avhen grown 
here, as usual, we look for some valuable additions when they are 
set out. We sliould like a few grapes of each to try them, and will 
most likely be able to report by the fall of 1876. 

All the Rogers' hybrids are so much improved in size of bunch 
and in quality, when grown here, that they would hardly be taken 
for the same variety. This we would expect of Mr. Haskell's grapes 
also.'* 

A number of varieties were sent that same year to the editor of 
the "Massachusetts Ploughman," and he commented upon them 
in that paper as follows : — 

"We acknowledge with pleasure the receipt of a variety of seed- 
ling grapes from George Haskell, Esq., of Ipswich. Some of them 
-were of excellent quality and worth propagating. No. 74 was espe- 
cially fine it seemed to iis, though it was perhaps fresher and more 
in its best condition as to ripeness. Some of the samples were a 
little ,oyer ripe." 

Theisanie season they were sent to Mr. Meehan, of the " Gar- 
dener's Monthly," and he expressed his opinion thus, in Nov., 1874: 

" Grapjs Sjejjdlings from Mii. Geo. Haskkll, Ipswich, IMass- 



11 

These are some of the best we have seen, and when the high north- 
ern latitude is considcied, show how marked has been grape im- 
provement of late years. There are among them black, white and 
red bunches ; and some of the bunches of considerable size." 

Another parcel was sent to the editors of the " Countrj^ (Icntle- 
man," and in that paper for November 5, 1874, they are described 
as follows : — 

" Nos. 74 and 118 are black grapes, of very tender skin, little 
pulp, and sweet and good flavor. The first named appears to be an 
excellent grape. But none are large and showy enough to produce 
'a sensation.' Kos. 295 and 387 are light bfown, quite sweet, and 
hardly so good as the black ones." 

In the same year, 1874, seven varieties Were sent to Wm. Saun- 
ders, Superintendent of the Government Experimental Grounds, 
at Washington, and he sent me the following report upon them, 
which he consents to have me publish. In consenting to haA'e me 
publish this report, however, he adds: — " I have long ago learned 
that no one can tell anything about the geheral value of a grape 
by simply testing a bunch of its fruit 5 and that opinions formed 
upon such slight acquaintance are of little value.'* His report of 
the fruits was as follows : — 

No. 325. " A very fine flavored gfape, and very large, fine look- 
ing bunch." 

No. 36. " Bunch of fair size ; beifios spicy in flavor; drops read- 
ily from the bunch." 

No. 74. " As fine looking as a Black Hamburgh, and about as 
good in flavor ; really a splendid acquisition." 

No. 387. " This is, to my notion, the best, and most delicately 
flavored grape of the number ; a superior table fruit." 

No. 371. " The smallest of the lot, both in bunch and berry, and 
not conspicuously good." 

No. 118. " A very pleasant grape, somewhat tart ; perhaps not 
quite as ripe as it might be." 

No. 295. " Very like 325 in flavor ; bunch not so large, but good 
size notwithstanding." 

" These six grapes are, perhaps, finer than any six named hardy 
grapes that are now in cultivation." 

The next year, 1875, six varieties were sent to Marshall P. Wilder, 
and he made the following notes upon them, which I am permitted 
to use : — 

No. 74. Black ; berries large, oval ; thick bloom ; juicy, sweet, 
sprightly ; pulp tender ; seeds large ; one of the best natives we 
have ever tasted." 

No. 420. Black, medium size, slightly oval ; skin thick, thick 
bloom; pulp firm; rich, vinous, sprightly; holds on well; very good." 

No. 118. " Black, round, thick bloom ; skin not so thick as last 
and seeds larger; otherwise much the same." 



12 

Xo CG. " Picseinbles the Catawba in mauy respects, with thicker 
bloom, and hclds on well." 

No. 387. " Chestnut color ; thin bloom, round, medium size ; 
thin skhi; p'.dp rather tough, very sweet and rich; adheres strongly." 

No. .')25. Color like tlie last, with dots like the wild type ; me- 
dium size ; thin bloom; sweet; juicy: pulp rather tender; seeds 
small; sprightly; vinous near the skin with foxy aroma." 

" On the whole, this lot impresses us much more favorably than 
on former occasions, showing the influence of hybridization in 
breeding out the native aroma, while yet more may be done in the 
^^■:\■y ot producing pulp more tender." 

Mr. Wilder submitted these varieties to the examination of the 
Fruit Committee of the American Pomological Society for Massa- 
chusetts, and they report thereon (page 119) as follows: — 

" Mr. George Haskell, of Ipswich j has for several years been en- 
gaged in hybridizing the grape, and has produced a large number of 
varieties, among which are several of excellent quality. Of six va- 
rieties presented by him the present season, five were entirely free 
from the peculiar foxy flavor of the native grape." 

Ten Varieties were also sent to Dr. Robert Hogg, editor of thfe' 
London Journal of Horticulture, and the following mention is 
made of them in that publication for Nov. 11, 1875 : — ' 

" We have received from Mr. George Haskell, of Ipswich, Mass., 
a collection of ten varieties of Seedling Grapes, raised by cross- 
ing the native Vitis riparia with European varieties, and vice versa. 
These are very curious, and some of them are very excellent va- 
rieties. The influence of the cross is very apparent in all of them, 
and it is quite possible that in this way varieties may be raised that 
will ripen out of doors in this country. Even in this unfavorable 
season Admiral Hornby has ripened one of the American Grapes 
at the Cottage, Knowsley, and Mr. E. J. Beale has been equally 
successful at Twickenham. One or two varieties which have the 
Black Hamburgh and White Chasselas for their male parents are 
very good indeed, and have a flavor which is quite peculiar." 

Similar opinions have been expressed by many grape-growers iu 
distant parts of the country, to whom the grapes have been sent 
during the last eight years, but I have not deemed it worth while 
to ask permission to publish their communications to me, and I do 
not feel at liberty to do it without their consent. These opinions 
are not quoted to prove that these grapes possess every desired qual- 
ity of fruit and vine ; but only to confirm the belief that they de- 
serve attention and trial. 

Notwithstanding these flattering testimonials of the qualities of 
these fruits, I have not been able to obtain any terms for the prop- 
agation and distribution of the vines, except to give them away to 
nurserymen and others. I was not disposed to do this, and I liave 
propagated some of the best and most promising varieties, in suffi- 



13 

cient numbers to supply a few cultivators with an assortment of 
thirty kinds, embracing the best of different crosses. I do not in 
tend to multiply or propagate them any farther than may be neces- 
sary to secure a distribution and trial of them. Several of those 
last described, promise well, — a few of them appear vcrij good — but 
they have not borne fruit long enough to determine their merits, 
and I have not propagated many from them. 

Such of them as prove good, or Avorthy of trial elsewhere, will be 
sent, if desired, at the same rate per vine, to all who now purchase 
thirty varieties. 

If any grape-grower or nurseryman desires to purchase such an 
assortment of thirty vines, I shall be glad to supply him with them 
at a very Ioav price, considering their cost to me ; if they are not 
desired it may excite my regret, but it will do me no harm ; nor, 
indeed, would it were I to annihilate the whole Ijrood of vines, 
as I, at times, have been almost tempted to do. 

■GEOKGE HASKELL. 
Irswiciij Mass., Jan.j 1877. 



DESCRIPTION or VAEIETIES. 



THREE. Parentage : seed of Amber Fox fertilized with pollen of 
Black Hamburg. Fruit: black, round, very large, skin thin, pulp 
tender, sweet, flavor excellent, rather late. Cluster: very large, 
shouldered, compact. Vine : very vigorous, hardy, very produc- 
tive, in some localities and seasons slightly affected with mildew. 

THIRTY-SIX. Parentage : seed of Amber Fox fertilized with 
pollen of Black Hamburg. Fruit: dark red with lilac-colored 
bloom, round, medium, skin thin, pulp firm, sweet, flavor good, free 
from foxiness. Cluster : large, shouldered, open, of regular form. 
Vine : vigorous, hardy, very healthy and productive. 

SEVENTY-FOUR. Parentage : seed of Black Fox fertilized with 
pollen of Black Hamburg. Fruit: black with a heavy light-blue 
bloom, oval, very large, skin thin, pulii tender, sprightly and vinous, 
flavor good, no foxiness, early. Cluster : medium, small shoulders, 
compact but not crowded, holds the fruit well and keeps late. 
Vine : of medium vigor, short- jointed, hardy, very productive and 
healthy. 

ONE-EIGHTEEN. Parentage : seed of Black Fox fertilized with 
pollen of Black Hamburg. Fruit: black, little bloom, rounds 
large, skin thin, pulp very tender, flavor pleasant and sprightly, no 
foxiness. Cluster: medium, not shouldered, open. Vine: vig- 
orous, hardy and very healthy. 

TWO-TWENTY-FOUR. Parentage: seed of Black Hamburg 
fertilized with pollen of Pigeon. Fruit : black, round, medium, 
skin thin, no pulp, rather tart, colors early but improves by hanging 
late. Cluster : very large, very large shoulders, close but not 
crowded. Vine : very hardy, healthy, vigorous and productive. 

TWO-THIRTY. Parentage : seed of Black Hamburg fertilized 
with pollen of Pigeon. Fruit : black, round, small, heavy bloom, 
skin thin, no pulp, tart, colors early but should hang late. Cluster : 
very large and heavy, small shoulders, long and very compact. 
Vine : very healthy, hardy, vigorous and productive. 

TWO-NINETY-FIVE. Parentage : seed of White Fox fertilized 
with pollen of White Chasselas. Fruit : very light amber or white 
in the shade, round, large, skin very thin, pulp tender, sweet, flavor 
good, a little musky. Cluster : large, shouldered, compact. Vine: 
vigorous, hardy, healthy and enormously productive, producing clus- 
ters from the eyes at the base of the shoot. 



15 

THREE-TWENTY-FIVE. Parentage : seed of Amber Fox fer- 
tilized with pollen of White Froiitignan. Fruit: deep red or ma- 
roon, with little bloom, oval, medium, skin thin, pulp tender, sweet 
and rich, flavor good with a very little foxiness. Cluster: large, 
regularly shouldered, close but not crowded. Vine : vigorous, very 
productive, bears the winter perfectly, but is sometimes attacked 
with mildew. 

THREE-EIGHTY-SEVEN. Parentage: seed of Amber Fox 
fertilized with pollen of White Frontignan. Fruit: dark amber, 
round, medium, skin thin, pulp firm and rather tart, flavor excel- 
lent, like Frontignac, and free from foxiness, rather late. Cluster : 
large, shouldered very compact. Vine: very vigorous, very 
healthy and productive. 

FOUR-TWENTY. Parentage : seed of Black Hamburg fertilized 
with pollen of Black Fox. Fruit : black with a blue bloom, oval, 
very large, skin very thick, pulp rather hard and acid, flavor pecu- 
liar, spicy and delicious, no foxiness, rather late. Cluster : large, 
irregularly shouldered, broken and open. Vine : very vigorous, 
hardy and healthy. 

TWELVE. Parentage : seed of Amber Fox fertilized with pollen 
of Black Hamburg. Fruit : black with blue bloom, round, good 
size, skin thin, pulp tender and sweet, flavor good, no foxiness, 
early. Cluster : medium, small shoulders, compact. Vine : of 
medium vigor, very hardy and healthy. 

ONE-THIRTY-SIX. Parentage : seed of Black Hamburg fer- 
tilized with pollen of Black Fox. Fruit : black, blue bloom, 
round, large; skin thick, pulp firm, flavor good, no foxiness, quite 
late. Cluster : large, large shoulders, full, excellent form. Vine : 
vigorous, hardy, healthy and enormously productive. 

ONE-EIGHTY-FOUR. Parentage : seed of the Grizzly Frontig- 
nan fertilized with pollen of Pigeon. Fruit: black, round, medi- 
um, skin thin, no pulp, quite sweet, Frontignan flavor. Cluster: 
long and without shoulders, pretty close. Vine : vigorous, pro- 
ductive, hardy and generally healthy. 

TWO-SIXTY-SEVEN. Parentage : seed of Pigeon fertilized ivith 
pollen of Black Hamburg. Fruit: black, round, medium, skin 
thin, pulp tender, brisk and pretty good. Cluster: medium, 
shouldered, well formed, rather open. Vine : healthy, vigorous, 
hardy and productive. 

THREE-HUNDRED-NINE. Parentage : seed of Amber Fox 
fertilized with pollen of White Chasselas. Fruit : dark amber, 
slightly oval, medium, skin thin, pulp tender, excellent flavor, no 
foxiness, early. Cluster : good size, small shoulders, open. Vine: 
vigorous, hardy, very healthy and productive. 



16 

THREE-FORTY-THREE. Parentage : seed of Amber Fox fer- 
tilized with pollen of White Froiitignan. Fruit: black, round, 
hirge, skill thin, pulp tender, flavor good, rather late. Cluster: 
very large, shouldered, compact but not crowded. Vine : very 
vigorous, hardy and productive, generally healthy. The only black 
grape obtained from many crosses of the Frontignan and Fox. 

THREE-SIXTY-SIX. Parentage : seed of small Amber Fox fer- 
tilized with pollen of White Frontignan. Fruit: purple, heavy 
bloom, round, medium, skin thin, pulp tender, flavor strong of the 
Frontignan. Cluster: medium, small shoulders, compact. Vine: 
very vigorous, hardy, healthy and productive. Young foliage very 
downy. 

THREE-SIXTY-NINE. Parentage : seed of small Amber Fox 
fertilized with pollen of White Frontignan. Fruit: red, round, 
rather small, skin thin, pulp tender, sweet, excellent Frontignan 
flavor and very early. Cluster: medium, not shouldered nor 
crowded, regular in form. Vine: not very vigorous^ hardy, very 
healthy, and moderately j)roduclive. 

THREE-SEVENTY-ONE. Parentage: seed of small Amber 
^'ox fertilized with pollen of White Frontignan. Fruit: dark 
red, round, small, skin thin, pulp firm, with a strong Frontignac 
flavor, early. Clvister : medium, not shouldered, very compact. 
Vine : vigorous, hardy, very healthy and productive. 

FOUR-EIGHTEEN. Parentage : seed of Black Hamburg fertil- 
ized with pollen of Black Fox. Fruit: amber, slightly oval, large, 
skin rather thick, light bloom, pulp tender, sweet and good, with 
foreign flavor. Cluster: large, shouldered, very regular in form, 
compact. Vine : very healthy, very hardy, vigorous and produc- 
tive. 

ONE-TWENTY-TWO. Parentage : seed of early Black Fox fer- 
tilized with pollen of Black Hamburg. Fruit : black with a bloom, 
round, large, skin thin, pulp tender, red and quite good, very early, 
Cluster: medium, small shoulders, rather open. Vine: of mod- 
erate vigor, hardy, moderately productive. 

THREE-SEVENTEEN. Parentage: seed of large Amber Fox 
fertilized with pollen of White Chasselas. Fruit : amber, oval, 
large, skin thin, pulp tender. Cluster: large, shouldered, not very 
compact, of regular form. Vine : vigorous, hardy, healthy and 
very productive. 

THREE-THIRTY-FOUR. Parentage: seed of large Amber 
Fox fertilized with pollen of White Frontignan. Fruit: nearly 
white, round, large, skin thin, pulp tender, sweet and good flavor. 
Cluster : medium, small shoulders, open. Vine : vigorous, hardy, 
and productive, foliage downy. 



17 

THREF-SIXTY-SEVEN. Parentage : heed of small Amber Fox 
fertilized with pollen of White Frontiguan. Fruit: nearly white, 
round, large, skin thin, pulp tender, high Frontignan flavor. Clus- 
ter : long, without shoulders, rather open. Vine : vigorous, hardy, 
productive, a little subject to mildew. 

THREE-SEVENTY-THREE. Parentage: seed of small Am- 
ber Fox fertilized with pollen of White Frontignan Fruit: white 
or light amber, round, large, sliin thin, pulp tender, excellent Fron- 
tingnan flavor. Cluster,: large, large shoulders, not very cloje. 
Vine : of medium vigor, very hardy, healthy and productive. 

ONE-SIXTY-NINE. Parentage : seed of Pigeon fertilized with 
pollen of Grizzly Frontignan. Fruit: black, round, small, skin 
thin, no pidp, rather tart, early, should hang late. Cluster: medi- 
um, shouldered, not very compact. Vine: very hardy and healthy, 
modei'ately productive but vigorous. 

ONE-EIGHTY-EIGHT. Parentage : seed of Grizzly Frontig- 
nan fertilized with pollen of Pigeon. Fruit: black, round, small, 
skin thin, blue bloom, no pulp, rather tart, juice red. Cluster: 
large, very long, small shoulders, very compact. Vine : vei'y vig- 
orous, hardy, healthy and very productive. 

TWO-TWENTY-NINE. Parentage: seed of Black Hamburg 
fertilized with pollen of Pigeon. Fruit: black, round, large, skin 
thin, no pulp, juice red and rather tart, should hang late. Cluster; 
very large, broad and long, compact. Vine : very vigorous, healthy 
and hardy, very productive. 

THREE-TWENTY-FOUR. Parentage: seed of Amber Fox 
ferLilized with pollen of White Frontignan. Fruit: white, round, 
large, skin thin, pulp very tender, flavor good and free from foxiness. 
Cluster: very large, shouldered, full but not crowded. Vine: 
vig )rous, I ardy, healthy and productive. 

THREE-FOE TY. Parentage : seed of large Amber Fox fertilized 
with pollen of White Frontignan. Fruit : nearly white, round, 
large, skin thin, pulp tender, excellent flavor, no foxiness. Cluster : 
very long, without shoulders, close but not crowded. Vine : vigor- 
ous, haidy and productive, sometimes and to a small degree affected 
with mildew. 

NINETEEN. Parentage : seed of small Amber Fox fertilized with 
pollen of Black Hamburg. Fruit: black, little bloom, round, 
small, skin thin, pulp tender and slightly acid, quite early. Cluster: 
medium, shouldered, very compact. Vine : vigorous, hardy, very 
productive and healthy. 

SIXTY-FOUR. Parentage : seed of small Amber Fox fertilized 
with pollen of Black Hamburg. Fruit : red, round, small, skin 



18 

thin, pulp tender, very good flavor. Cluster: smalf, shouldered, 
open. Vine : very vigorous and healthy, hardy, not very prrductive. 

THREE HUNDRED. Pairentage : seed of Amber Fox fertilized 
vfith. pollen of White Chasselas. Fruit : white or very light amber- 
round, large, skin thin, flavor good, early. Cluster : large, shoul- 
dered, compact. Vine: vigorous, hardy, very healthy and productive. 

THREE-HUNDRED-SIX. Parentage : seed of large Amber 
Fox fertilized with pollen of White Chasselas. Fruit : light am- 
ber, round, small, skin thin, pulp tender, very good and very early. 
Cluster: suiall, slight shoulders, comimct. Vine: medium vig- 
or, small firm wood, hardy, moderately productive. 

THREE-FORTY-TWO. Parentage.: seed of large Amber Fox 
fertilized with pollen of White Frontignan. Fruit: nearly white, 
round, large, skin thin, pulp tender, sweet and good, flavor good. 
Cluster : medium, shouldered, compact. Vine : vigorous, hardy, 
healthy and very productive. 

THIRTY-FIVE. Parentage: seed of small Amber Fox fertilized 
with pollen of Black Hamburg. Fruit: light amber, round, medi- 
um, skin thin, pulp tender and sweet. Cluster: medium, small 
shoulders, open. Vine : very vigorous, healthy and productive, 
wood rather soft and tender. 

FIFTY-EIGHT. Parentage: seed of small Amber Fox fertilized, 
with pollen of Black Hamburg. Fruit : red, small, round, skin 
thin, little pulj}, sweet and very early. Cluster: small, sets irreg- 
ularly, open. Vine: vigorous, very healthy and hardy. 

SEVENTY-FIVE. Parentage : seed of Black Fox fertilized with 
pollen of Black Hamburg. Fruit: black, blue bloom, round, large, 
skin thick, pulp tender, sprightly, flavor good, not foxy, early. 
Cluster: large, large shoulders, full, holds' the fruit late. Vine: 
very vigorous, very hardy, healthy and productive. 

NINETY-FIVE. Parentage : seed of large Amber Fox fertilized 
with pollen of Black Hamburg. Fruit : amber, round, large, pulp 
very tender and tart, flavor very good, not foxy, early. Cluster: 
medium, without shoulders, open, irregular. Vine : medium vig- 
or, very hardy and healthy, moderately productive. 

ONE-TWENTY-EIGHT. Parentage : seed of very early Black 
Fox fertilized with pollen of Black Hamburg. Fruit : light am- 
ber, medium, round, skin thin, pulp tender, sweet, of excellent fla- 
vor, early. Cluster : medium, small shoulders. Vine : rather 
feeble grower, very hardy and healthy, shy bearer. 



I have thought that oiieliundrecl dollars would not be an unrea- 
sonable price, for thirty varieties as herein mentioned, considering 
their quality, and that the purchaser will have and enjoy all the 
best products and advantage of my long-continued and expensive 
labor, without any restriction or hindrance in the propagation and 
sale of the vines. 

For that sum I will mark, pack well, and deliver at any express 
otHce in Boston, thirty vines of different kinds. For northern lo- 
cations, a few of those of latest maturity had better be omitted 
and some of ^the earlier on the list be taken instead ; and for south- 
ern locations some of the later kinds would be better than the 
earlier. Thirty of the kinds described, best adapted to the location 
of the buyer, will be sent if no request for others is made. 

Most of the vines are two or three years old, but a few are only 
one year from cuttings. GEOKGE HASKELL. 

Ipswich, Mass. 



w^ 




